prepaid_data_sim_cardfandomcom-20200216-history
Talk:France/@comment-80.215.178.62-20150519141913/@comment-24682153-20150519162134
OK: Although the French users of this forum seem to be quite ignorant about what has been written before, I try to answer once it again, as I understand the frustration about the high rates on prepaid SIM cards in France. 1.) This is a prepaid 'SIM card forum by definition. '''Prepaid '''has some advantages to travellers that have been mentioned before. We normally don't list '''contracts '(= forfaits). 2.) Contracts raise a lot of questions because they can have a lot of consequences. You need to know exactly how to comply, how to sign in, how and when to terminate and so on.... That's why only in a very few countries like Israel or France, we actually list contracts, even if they normally give a better rate for data. 3.) All contracts listed need to give the possibility to be terminated anytime (or at the end of each month) by free will and a way to sign off. This makes them comparable to prepaid. Now, all forfaits sans engagement in France fulfill this criteria. That's why France is one of the very few countries, contracts are listed at all. 4.) The back side is that data rates on prepaid cards are extremely high in France, as almost everybody in this country is in some kind of forfait, as they can be discontinued very easily. To acknowledge this fact, we keep listing some of them. 5.) The major problem with contracts is, that they are always linked to a payment system like a bank account or credit card and a (steady) local postal address, sometimes even to a local residency. The telecommunication companies want to be totally sure to get their monthly rate (esp. if it's charged as postpaid). 6.) This is exactly the problem in France right now: Bouygues, B&You, Sosh, Simyo and many more may have great rates on forfaits, but they won't let you sign a contract, if you are not French! Got it? 7.) Of course, la France isn't xenophobic and they don't discriminate you because you are non-French :-) But you need to have a French "carte bancaire" (bank card) even if it's called VISA or Mastercard issued only by a French bank. C'est ca. And you can't change that. 8.) Mostly, non-French visitors obviously don't have a French bank account or credit card. So these offers stay inaccessible to them. And to get one is quite pricey and needs a lot of work (see below). 9.) Why should we list offers almost no '''foreign (non-French) person can get hold of? We don't do this in any other country. At least one international accessible payment system (or cash) is a prerequisite to be listed. I think this rule makes sense, as this forum is intended mainly for international visitors. '*.) To cut it short: Why should we be "fair" to Bouygues adding their contract to the list, when they say: F*ck off, you are German, American..... we don't let you in. '''I think the frustration will be even higher about France and its providers, when people read the rates they can't get, because the are "foreign" (or to be exact: don't have a French-issued bank card). :-( Only very few operators have a slightly different approach. JoeMobile accepted some non-French credit cards, but they have been closed now. SFR still accepts interntl. AmEx and Free interntl. credit cards at their automated dispensers in their shops. This was confirmed and their offers are listed. All other operators are welcome to open their contracts to foreigners, they will be listed as soon as there is a verified way to get them. In my comment directly below this I hinted a solution by getting a local French prepaid credit card and a local French postal address (if you don't stay in the country continously), but this is expensive and time-comsuming too. But you will need both of these, if you want to be on a French contract (''forfait) like Bouygues forfait sans engagement.